OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. — The Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Office released body camera video showing a man firing a “homemade flamethrower” at deputies as they tried to serve an eviction.
The Aug. 11 incident began when deputies arrived at an apartment building to serve the eviction. After the resident refused to let officers in, housing authority staff unlocked the door.
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Deputies attempted to open the door again but found it to be blockaded. They were able to push through the door and found the subject of the eviction sitting in a bedroom.
Body camera video shows officers approaching the bedroom. The man then started spraying an aerosol can and holding up a lighter, creating a makeshift flamethrower.
Flames can be seen shooting out through the bedroom toward deputies.
Deputies ordered the man to put down the can, but he refused. Deputies exited the apartment after finding what appeared to be an improvised explosive device inside.
The suspicious object consisted of a car battery connected by wires to a device near the front door, WJCL reported. Deputies also found several aerosol cans taped together and connected to wires.
The bomb squad responded to the scene and disabled the device, and the man was taken to a hospital and later to a psychiatric hospital. He faces charges including assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, aggravated assault, use of an incendiary devices or explosives and obstruction of an officer, WJCL reported.
